Last Modified: Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at 12:00 a.m.

JAENA NORTJE, assistant state attorney, prepares to cross-examine Monday Demarsh during his murder trial Tuesday in the slaying of his girlfriend Virgina Varnum, 44, of Lakeland.

PIERRE DuCHARME | THE LEDGER

Then police arrived.

Demarsh, 38, testified Tuesday at his own murder trial, telling a jury his version of what happened one morning in 2010 that eventually led him to leave Polk County before his longtime girlfriend, Virginia Varnum, was found slain.

But Lakeland officers contradicted his testimony, saying they remember key details of his account differently.

Before Tuesday, Demarsh, who faces life imprisonment if convicted of first-degree murder, hadn't given authorities a statement in the case. A group of Lakeland police detectives sat in the courtroom that morning to hear him speak.

Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen reminded the defendant he had no obligation to testify. Demarsh, seated next to his lawyer, Karen Meeks, said he wanted to.

"(Meeks) advised me it would be in my best interest to let the jury know the truth," he told Jacobsen before walking to the witness stand with a legal pad full of notes.

He never seemed to glance at his notes as he recounted Oct. 12, 2010. Demarsh said the trailer he shared with Varnum, 44, on New Tampa Highway had electrical problems that caused it to fill with smoke that morning.

Police arrived as he threw things outside.

Jurors heard testimony earlier in the trial that Varnum had begged a neighbor to call police that morning. That neighbor testified she heard Demarsh tell Varnum, "If you call the cops, I'll kill you."

When police arrived, they told Demarsh he wasn't under arrest and didn't need to give a statement, he said, so he walked to his yard and sat down. That's when the officers struck and cursed at him, he said, and put him in a patrol car.

They later let him go and left the trailer park.

He denied testimony from earlier in the trial that he threatened to kill Varnum if police were called.

Demarsh testified Varnum gave him rings back that morning that he'd given her and told him to leave. He later came back and cleaned out the trailer, he said, and found Varnum and her things gone.

Varnum was still gone when Lakeland police came by the trailer Oct. 17, 2010, to do a wellness check on her.

Demarsh moved to family property in Monticello, northeast of Tallahassee. He was arrested Nov. 5, 2010, just north of the Florida-Georgia line and charged in Varnum's murder.

Police — whose delayed response to the case has been discussed at trial — testified they saw and smelled no smoke outside the trailer. They also said they never cursed or harmed Demarsh that morning.

During his testimony, Demarsh also denied giving a cellmate incriminating information that later led the cellmate to offer to testify against him.

"I've maintained my innocence since the beginning," he said. "And I always will."

<p>BARTOW | The furnace sparked and smoke poured from the trailer walls. To save what he could, Monday Lee Demarsh threw his belongings — even groceries — onto the porch.</p><p>Then police arrived.</p><p>Demarsh, 38, testified Tuesday at his own murder trial, telling a jury his version of what happened one morning in 2010 that eventually led him to leave Polk County before his longtime girlfriend, Virginia Varnum, was found slain.</p><p>But Lakeland officers contradicted his testimony, saying they remember key details of his account differently.</p><p>Before Tuesday, Demarsh, who faces life imprisonment if convicted of first-degree murder, hadn't given authorities a statement in the case. A group of Lakeland police detectives sat in the courtroom that morning to hear him speak.</p><p>Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen reminded the defendant he had no obligation to testify. Demarsh, seated next to his lawyer, Karen Meeks, said he wanted to.</p><p>"(Meeks) advised me it would be in my best interest to let the jury know the truth," he told Jacobsen before walking to the witness stand with a legal pad full of notes.</p><p>He never seemed to glance at his notes as he recounted Oct. 12, 2010. Demarsh said the trailer he shared with Varnum, 44, on New Tampa Highway had electrical problems that caused it to fill with smoke that morning.</p><p>Police arrived as he threw things outside.</p><p>Jurors heard testimony earlier in the trial that Varnum had begged a neighbor to call police that morning. That neighbor testified she heard Demarsh tell Varnum, "If you call the cops, I'll kill you."</p><p>When police arrived, they told Demarsh he wasn't under arrest and didn't need to give a statement, he said, so he walked to his yard and sat down. That's when the officers struck and cursed at him, he said, and put him in a patrol car.</p><p>They later let him go and left the trailer park.</p><p>He denied testimony from earlier in the trial that he threatened to kill Varnum if police were called.</p><p>Demarsh testified Varnum gave him rings back that morning that he'd given her and told him to leave. He later came back and cleaned out the trailer, he said, and found Varnum and her things gone.</p><p>Varnum was still gone when Lakeland police came by the trailer Oct. 17, 2010, to do a wellness check on her.</p><p>Demarsh moved to family property in Monticello, northeast of Tallahassee. He was arrested Nov. 5, 2010, just north of the Florida-Georgia line and charged in Varnum's murder.</p><p>Police — whose delayed response to the case has been discussed at trial — testified they saw and smelled no smoke outside the trailer. They also said they never cursed or harmed Demarsh that morning.</p><p>During his testimony, Demarsh also denied giving a cellmate incriminating information that later led the cellmate to offer to testify against him.</p><p>"I've maintained my innocence since the beginning," he said. "And I always will."</p><p>Closing arguments are scheduled this morning.</p>